AI Experiment - The Bandits, The Sheriffs and FM12

[Biscotti]

This seems oddly familiar, refreshing this page multiple times per day... Isn't there a subscription feature or something like it?

Oh and if we are lucky Kipfizh will start this at post #101, A new update at the start of the page was how it use to go.

There is a subscription option. Got to Thread Tools > Subscribe

[kipfizh]

Season report – 2011/12 – Summer Transfer Window

In the inauspicious surroundings of the Southern League Division One South and West, the Bandits and the Sheriffs began their long road to an eventual target of world domination. Richer and with a greater set of talent at their disposal than anyone else in the league, or indeed in the two divisions above them, the media believed it inevitable that they would be the teams to rise out of the league, although one would require the playoffs since the league only has one automatic promotion spot.

After careful deliberation, the media tipped the Bandits for top spot, thanks to a sheer weight of numbers and a better attitude in the squad. The Sheriffs were predicted to come second, but will point to their superior manager (Mike Phelan has a CA of 155, while his Bandits counterpart – Tom Killick – has only 12 CA) and their own stars.

Neither club felt the need to sign any players during the summer transfer window, with both releasing a handful of players that were deemed to have no future at their level, so they both went into their first season with the generated squad they began with plus the starlets and idiots. How would it go?

Pre-season preparation for the Bandits was excellent – four wins against sides one division above them, and a 2-2 draw with Northampton of League Two, a full four tiers above the Bandits in the league structure.

Meanwhile, the Sheriffs opened with a 1-0 loss to Totton, from the division above, but followed that up with four comfortable friendly wins, also going into the season with a great deal of optimism.

The Sheriffs certainly started well, and were four goals up at half time in their opening match against Tiverton, with both Lazy Idiot Mid and Driven Idiot Mid chipping in with goals. But then came the moment that perhaps sums up the mind of those players – Driven Idiot Def launched into a reckless challenge and was sent off on debut, with the team cruising to victory. It didn’t deter them – Lazy Idiot Str and Lazy Idiot Def added further goals for a 6-0 triumph, but the seeds were sown. Mike Phelan fined the fool after the match, but instead of deterring him, he bleated to the press about unfair treatment and instructed his agent to find him a new club. Remarkable.

A 4-0 win followed over Yate, in a match with ten yellow cards (admittedly, four to Yate), before they had their first real test at home to Paulton. Not a strong opponent, but the Sheriffs handed them the initiative early, conceding a penalty and a lead in the second minute, before Jay Connors was sent off six minutes later for a two footed lunge.

By half time, it was ten against ten, but the Sheriffs were still behind, but in the second half, class eventually told, the Sheriffs eventually winning 3-1 against nine men, in another ill-tempered clash. A 6-0 win at Bideford ended August, and ensured that their status as promotion favourites remained intact.

Meanwhile, the Bandits were also starting in style, opening with a 4-0 win over Hungerford, Striker 1 scoring the club’s first competitive goal before Striker 3 added a brace. A remarkable five goal storm from Striker 1 followed in their next game, Stourport being destroyed 7-0, with Left Mid 1 adding the other two.

Striker 3 came back out of the limelight for their third and final match of the month, scoring his own hattrick in a 7-1 thumping of Cinderford, which left the Bandits third, only behind the Sheriffs and Gosport because they had only played three games.

Overall, both clubs could be delighted with their starts. Seven wins out of seven between them, and plenty of goals to celebrate. The Sheriffs have some serious disciplinary issues to sort out, but as long as they keep winning games it is unlikely to be a big issue for now.

[kipfizh]

Squad Analysis – Bandits (Sep 1 2011)

Top 20 in Squad (sorted by CA)

Name, Pos, Age, CA-PA (change)

Hay, 27, M RL, 112-115 (-)
Anderson, 28, DC, 111-115 (-)
Centre Back 1, 17, SW/DC, 105-200 (+5)
Centre Back 3, 17, SW/DC, 105-200 (+5)
Left Mid 1, 17, LM/LW, 105-200 (+5)
Attacking Mid 1, 17, CM/AM, 104-200 (+4)
Left Back 1, 17, LB/LWB, 104-200 (+4)
Right Back 1, 17, RB/RWB, 104-200 (+4)
Striker 1, 17, ST, 104-200 (+4)
Striker 3, 17, ST, 104-200 (+4)
Defensive Mid 1, 17, DM/CM, 103-200 (+3)
Goalkeeper 1, 17, GK, 103-200 (+3)
Right Mid 1, 17, RM/RW, 101-200 (+1)
Cox, 17, ML, 89-176 (+4)
Hawkins, 17, M LC, 89-173 (+2)
Centre Back 2, 17, SW/DC, 84-200 (+9)
Centre Back 4, 17, SW/DC, 82-200 (+7)
Yildirim, 24, AMC, 82-115 (-)
Attacking Mid 2, 17, CM/AM, 81-200 (+6)
Defensive Mid 2, 17, DM/CM, 81-200 (+6)

Players from last season’s top 20 who have left the club:
None

Players from last season’s top 20 who have dropped out:
None

Notable others:
The remaining starlets

The starlets are improving quickly, while Cox and Hawkins remain excellent prospects.

CA of X or above (excluding starlets and idiots):

190 : 0
180 : 0
170 : 0
160 : 0
150 : 0
140 : 0
130 : 0
120 : 0
110 : 2
100 : 2
90 : 2
80 : 6
70 : 8
60 : 11

[kipfizh]

Squad Analysis – Sheriffs (Sep 1 2011)

Top 20 in Squad (sorted by CA)

Name, Pos, Age, CA-PA (change)

Lazy Idiot GK, 17, GK, 150-200 (-)
Lazy Idiot Def, 17, SW/DC/LB/LWB/RB/RWB, 150-200 (-)
Lazy Idiot Mid, 17, DM/MC/AM/LM/LW/RM/RW, 150-200 (-)
Lazy Idiot Str, 17, ST, 150-200 (-)
Driven Idiot GK, 17, GK, 125-200 (-)
Driven Idiot Def, 17, SW/DC/LB/LWB/RB/RWB, 125-200 (-)
Driven Idiot Mid, 17, DM/MC/AM/LM/LW/RM/RW, 125-200 (-)
Driven Idiot Str, 17, ST, 125-200 (-)
Daley, 28, GK, 109-115 (-4)
Hamilton, 27, AMC, 108-115 (-)
Zabek, 27, D LC, 103-115 (-)
Holloway, 16, AM LC, 87-170 (+3)
Horlock, 17, ST, 76-152 (-)
Hajji, 16, D RLC, 75-156 (+5)
Mogg, 16, DM, 70-146 (+4)
Mansell, 17, M LC, 66-125 (+2)
Casey, 22, AM LC, 63-109 – new entry in top 20
Gape, 17, DR, 61-122 – new entry in top 20
Jones, 17, ST, 60-134 – new entry in top 20
Whittaker, 17, ST, 56-135 – new entry in top 20

Players from last season’s top 20 who have left the club:
None

Players from last season’s top 20 who have dropped out:
None

Notable others:
None

No change in the CA of either the driven set of idiots or the lazy set. It is important to bear in mind that their CAs are already considerably higher than those of the starlets, which may be a contributory factor in their lack of progress.

CA of X or above (excluding starlets and idiots):

190 : 0
180 : 0
170 : 0
160 : 0
150 : 0
140 : 0
130 : 0
120 : 0
110 : 0
100 : 3
90 : 3
80 : 4
70 : 7
60 : 11

[G_D_K]

Interesting to see all the Bandits have already started improving (of course, they have further to go) --- the Sherriffs, not so much. Still early though....will have to compare improvements at end of season---I suspect that the bandits will have a higher % of increase than the Sherriffs.

[Lord Sidious]

Yay! I think i like the Sherriffs more this time around, Again. What can i say the drama keeps me entertained. How long till our beloved teams face off?

[Scarman]

This is starting to look epic. You can count me as a Sheriffs fan, I love a bit of controversy The Idiots careers are going to be fun to follow

[kipfizh]

Yay! I think i like the Sherriffs more this time around, Again. What can i say the drama keeps me entertained. How long till our beloved teams face off?

Well that's an interesting one. They were due to clash on October 1, but that fell within an international break and some of the players attached to more minor nations are getting call ups (Striker 1 has actually been made Tahitian captain). As a result, the Bandits and Sheriffs have both played nine league games by the end of October, while the rest of the league has played twelve. Fixture pile up!

[shaggy61]

kip

i am so happy now to see you back, long the the bandits

[Braumiller]

(Striker 1 has actually been made Tahitian captain)

Hell's yeah!

a). Was it a friendly or part of an international competition?
B). Any chance of a screenshot of the two Tahitian players?

Side note for all players, did they start with any Player Preferred Moves?

-=Braumiller=-
Founder of the Tahitian Supporters Club, Bandit/Sheriff Universe

[yugo23]

Striker 1 on international duty.

[BuffaloPhil]

Interesting start!

One question kip, did you remove any backroom staff when converting Poole and Wimborne to the Bandits and Sheriffs respectively? Reason I ask is that Tom Killick is the real-life Poole manager (and coincidentally a Wimborne playing legend - scored two and assisted two in their Wembley FA Vase win of 1992, fact fans!) so wondered if he's just left over from the original DB?

[Thebaker]

I never followed the original threads but certainly going to follow this.
I predict Sheriffs to get 110 yellows and 20 reds for the season, it looks like its not just the idiots with poor temperment

[DB1]

Any transfer interest yet?

[G_D_K]

Double-take.... AGENTS!?!? That *is* new on this iteration...should provide some interesting changes to the transfer this time around. How many of the crew started with agents? It would be interesting to see how the agents react---they all have different personalities and such....a driven Idiot with a very active agent might be actively shopped...while one of the starlets with a more passive agent might be around for a bit before getting noticed by the scouts!

(You can find agent information for players on the overview-->information tab --- but have to check individually for each player I think).

Edit: Or you can create a custom squad view and add agent to that list to see the squad as a whole.

[Chutney132]

Delighted to see this up once again!

A little late to the party with the predictions, but I predict both sides will gain consecutive promotions all the way to the Premiership (unless there's any leagues where only one can be promoted, which I don't think there is), as their superior spending power will put them in good stead even after they lose the Starlets and Idiots. Based on the first months results, we could be seeing many records broken in the opening few seasons as well...

And as a lifelong fan of the 'heel', I'm pinning my colours to the Sheriffs mast!

[SpiderGuard]

Double-take.... AGENTS!?!? That *is* new on this iteration...should provide some interesting changes to the transfer this time around. How many of the crew started with agents? It would be interesting to see how the agents react---they all have different personalities and such....a driven Idiot with a very active agent might be actively shopped...while one of the starlets with a more passive agent might be around for a bit before getting noticed by the scouts!

(You can find agent information for players on the overview-->information tab --- but have to check individually for each player I think).

Edit: Or you can create a custom squad view and add agent to that list to see the squad as a whole.

The agent information is really interesting to me too. I wonder if they'll be more likely to fire their agents to fit their personalities? Or will the loyal Bandits stay with their agents (out of loyalty) potentially getting them shopped around a little more frequently?

[7Bestie7]

The Sheriffs have some serious disciplinary issues to sort out...

I don't dare believe it! Surely not!!!

[DB1]

Who are the captains for each team? Did the manager spot potential leader for the Bandits and have the Sheriffs risked it on an idiot?

[Kenco]

Yay Kip is back!!

I like the new twist with different CAs and the new idiots. I reckon The Sheriffs will pip The Bandits to the league title, meaning the Bandits have to contend with the playoffs, something which they have had problems with in the past if I remember correctly?

Interesting to see the manager choices, let's hope the Bandits Chairman doesn't hold them back by appointing rubbish managers like in 07.

Hopefully the starlets will stay longer than usual, but with such high CA for the league I can see the top ones leaving in January or at the end of the year. The second level of starlets will then step up but also rise quicker than the team and will leave within 3 years.

Idiots are going to be fun! Judging by the incident in the first game, I can see them all moving on within one season and then bouncing from club to club for their careers.

[leonavich]

Well my predictions are wrong... International caps in the first part of the opening season and captain! big stuff. I can see some of these smaller nations making waves in their relevant zones.

I wonder if the starlets who are international bound earlier due to the small nation they are playing for, have a reputation increase for playing internationally, even for such a small side as Tahiti. Interesting to see if the fact they play for smaller nations, gets them noticed on the international stage and thus boosts their reputation quicker than if they where representing a larger nation but didnt get a cap until they played in a more reputable league.

Can't wait for the next update Kip!

[Unknown Hacker]

Yay! Come on you Bandits...

[Swolo]

Just about to start reading entire thread so far Cannot wait

Regarding how long till the players leave, i wouldnt be extremely surprised to see one or two of the starlets stay at the bandits, tried a similar game mode starting in the blue square bet south with 11 "starlets", with a CA of 80 and PA of 200, one of the players has still not left the club (5 seasons in with promotion every season except the first) and is massively better than the club, but his loyalty has made him stay i guess, but i still predict the vast majority of the players to leave within 2 seasons.

[Jack Rudd]

I'm going to follow RB2 with particular interest. Trinidad and Tobago, yay.

[kipfizh]

a). Was it a friendly or part of an international competition?

Permanent captain. I think, a bit like choosing a club captain at the start of the season, international managers periodically choose their leaders. His installment is a permanent one.

Side note for all players, did they start with any Player Preferred Moves?

The starlets didn't, but all eight idiots dive, throw themselves into tackles and argue with officials.

[kipfizh]

Interesting start!

One question kip, did you remove any backroom staff when converting Poole and Wimborne to the Bandits and Sheriffs respectively? Reason I ask is that Tom Killick is the real-life Poole manager (and coincidentally a Wimborne playing legend - scored two and assisted two in their Wembley FA Vase win of 1992, fact fans!) so wondered if he's just left over from the original DB?

No - I left the staff exactly as they were. It might have been a better idea to remove them, to be honest, but that one slipped past. Will be interesting to see how Killick does, he might be a playing legend but he's a pretty mediocre manager in FM!

I remember that FA Vase win - was big news down this way.

[kipfizh]

Any transfer interest yet?

Not so far, although I did drop the reputation of all the created players to 1. Won't last, though, I'm sure.

The Bandits did put a handful of their 'second tier' starlets on the loan list in the summer, but no-one bit, and after a few weeks, they removed them from the list, sensibly.

[kipfizh]

Double-take.... AGENTS!?!? That *is* new on this iteration...should provide some interesting changes to the transfer this time around. How many of the crew started with agents? It would be interesting to see how the agents react---they all have different personalities and such....a driven Idiot with a very active agent might be actively shopped...while one of the starlets with a more passive agent might be around for a bit before getting noticed by the scouts!

(You can find agent information for players on the overview-->information tab --- but have to check individually for each player I think).

Edit: Or you can create a custom squad view and add agent to that list to see the squad as a whole.

I will certainly take a look at this - wasn't aware of the agent side of things....

[kipfizh]

I like the new twist with different CAs and the new idiots. I reckon The Sheriffs will pip The Bandits to the league title, meaning the Bandits have to contend with the playoffs, something which they have had problems with in the past if I remember correctly?

Absolutely. For anyone who isn't aware, I believe the Bandits record in playoffs is 0/7. The Sheriffs also screwed up in FM09 - the two clubs were dominant in the Conference South but the Bandits took the automatic promotion slot, and the Sheriffs contrived to lose in the playoffs in their first season.

Somehow will have to brave it...

[shaggy61]

Oh its started, posted on 23rd, checked again for update on 25th, get all excited with a Kip post on 26th, only to find its answering the questions.
Will start sweating by the 30th and throwing dummies out of pram by the 1st of April if no update?? (do you think i should calm down a bit?)

[kipfizh]

Season report – 2011/12 – August-December

Bandits

After three wins out of three before the summer transfer window closed, the Bandits continued their excellent form with some high scoring exploits at the start of September. Kidlington were dispatched 9-0 in an FA Cup preliminary round, before 10-0 and 9-0 wins in the league gave the rest of the division notice that the Bandits were finding their stride.

High flying Gosport gave them a much sterner test in their next game before the Bandits ran out 4-2 winners, and they followed up with a 7-0 with in the first qualifying round for the FA Cup, as their determination to make a mark on the bigger stage continued. The rest of September saw three more comprehensive league wins – 4-0, 9-0 and 9-1.

October began slowly, but purely because the Bandits weren’t playing matches – international callups for some of their youngsters (Striker 1 even became Tahitian captain) meant that a series of fixtures (including a scheduled clash with the Sheriffs) were cancelled, so their only two games in the first three weeks of the month were FA Cup qualifying rounds two and three, both of which were won 6-0.

With the international break over, the fixture pileup saw the club play every three days, but it didn’t slow their momentum, with a pair of 6-0 league wins being followed up by a 2-0 win over Abington in the first round of the Red Insure Cup, a competition open to every club in the regional leagues.

October ended with the fourth and final qualifying round for the FA Cup, and yet another comprehensive triumph, Southport being hammered 6-0. It meant that the Bandits would reach the full FA Cup, and face about the trickiest tie they could have drawn – away to Charlton in the first round.

However, that would have to wait – the tie itself was pushed back weeks beyond the rest of the round thanks to a combination of further international callups and fixture re-arrangements. Carry on like this and they will be playing every other day after Christmas.

Sheriffs

After starting positively in August, the Sheriffs also impressed in the early parts of the season, starting September with a 7-0 win in the FA Cup preliminary round. A thumping 6-0 win in the league was followed up by a much narrower win – 2-1 over Didcot. But the rest of September saw a return to comfortable victories – 3-0 in the FA Cup 1st qualifying round, and 7-0, 5-1 and 3-0 in the league.

The early October clash with the Bandits was postponed due to international callups, so their first two games of the month were, like the Bandits, the second and third qualifying rounds for the FA Cup, which were won 5-0 and 4-0. Perhaps more remarkably, it marked a month and a half without a single red card for the club that had begun the season with abysmal discipline.

The discipline couldn’t last. Lazy Idiot Str failed to turn up to training despite the high spirits within the club, and was promptly fined by the manager. Somewhat predictably, he didn’t take too kindly to the decision, and indicated his desire to leave. They don’t like criticism, these guys, do they?

It didn’t affect their form – a 5-0 away win in the league was followed by a pair of tough away games at impressive Gosport, one in the league and one in the first round of the Red Insure Cup. The former was won 3-0, the latter 4-1, and the month ended on another high with a 4-0 win over Braintree in the final qualifying round for the FA Cup, guaranteeing them a place in the main draw, and a winnable tie away at Hayes and Yeading.

November

November 16 was penned in as the date for the first clash between the Bandits and the Sheriffs, after the early October fixture was postponed due to international callups. And it seemed as if both clubs would go into the fixture with perfect records, as the Bandits opened November with three more wins – 5-0 and 7-0 in the league, and 5-0 over Shaftesbury in the Dorset Cup 2nd Round, a competition that surely one of the Bandits or Sheriffs will win, given that they are the only two clubs even at the eighth tier of league football involved.

The Sheriffs also opened November in style, with a 6-0 win away in the league, before a shock finally happened in the shape of dropped points – Halesowen escaping with a 0-0 draw thanks to some shocking finishing from the Sheriffs – none of their seventeen shots testing the Halesowen keeper.

The Sheriffs then had the perfect platform to bounce back, with an easy looking Dorset Cup game at home to Weymouth Reserves, but although their triumphed 3-1, the performance was anything but impressive. With the big clash imminent, their form was certainly the weaker.

But then, the international break struck once again, and the Bandits and Sheriffs were forced to wait yet further to face each other, with the game rearranged for January 11, a full three months after the original fixture was scheduled.

Moving on

The Bandits finally conceded after nine consecutive clean sheets, but still ran away with a 4-1 win over Taunton, before progressing emphatically in the second round of the Red Insure Cup with a 10-0 destruction of Yate. Then came the big one, an FA Cup first round tie away at Charlton of League One.

After a bright start by the Bandits, Charlton scored after 22 minutes, but the tie was still very even as the teams went into the break. The Bandits applied more pressure after the interval but couldn’t break their opponents down, and despite outshooting Charlton 9-7, they exited the cup by that solitary goal.

Meanwhile, the Sheriffs were thriving. 6-1 and 7-0 wins in the league sandwiched a 5-2 victory at Bedfont Town in the Red Insure Cup, as they regained some form ahead of their own FA Cup tie against Hayes and Yeading.

The tie was billed as a potential shock, with the Sheriffs three divisions below their opponents yet favourites in the eyes of many, but Hayes fought valiantly and held on to a goalless draw despite being camped in their half for the majority of the game. Sadly for them, it wasn’t to last until the replay, where the Sheriffs rediscovered their shooting boots to destroy their opponents 7-0, a remarkable scoreline given their respective leagues.

That triumph ensured that the Sheriffs had the FA Cup bragging rights over their fierce rivals for the first season in their history, and with a second round clash at home to Corby to come, they fancied their chances of mixing it with the big boys in round three.

Closing out the year

Now out of the cup, the Bandits focused on non-league matters in December, opening the month with a 3-0 league victory before dispatching Swanage 5-1 in the quarter finals of the Dorset Cup. Three more league wins – 6-0, 4-0 and 4-0, ensured that they ended 2011 with a perfect league record of eighteen wins from eighteen.

The Sheriffs had a far busier month, playing an extra league game as well as their second round tie in the FA Cup, but it didn’t faze them in the slightest – a 6-0 win over Dorchester Reserves in the Dorset Cup quarter final was followed by four thumping league victories, and a spectacular 7-0 demolition of Corby in the FA Cup to reach the third round, where they would face Burnley at home in an excellent test of their mettle.

As the year closes, the Sheriffs sat top of the league with eighteen wins and a draw from their nineteen games, with the Bandits a point behind with a game in hand and a better goal difference (+103 to +84). But with the pair still to face each other, everything is still to play for.

The Sheriffs do, however, have a few issues. In the latter stages of the year, Lazy Idiot Str was fined for missing training, and the pair of Lazy Idiot Mid and Driven Idiot Str were fined for reckless two footed challenges that earned them early baths. None of the three reacted well, and in addition both Driven Idiot Def and Driven Idiot Mid have indicated that they feel the time is right to move on the bigger things.

January could be interesting. The transfer window opens, and the first clash between the pair occurs on the 11th, four days after the Sheriffs’ big cup tie. In addition, the two were paired together in the Dorset Cup semi-final, so will face off at least three times before the season is over.

[DB1]

Fantastic update. Can't wait for the big clashes. Could be an interesting transfer window. Any interest in starlets or idiots yet?

[Lord Sidious]

This is intense. How is the Icelandic bandit doing? Who has been playing the best in the two teams? Could we see the top scorer-s lists and those things?

[glennuk]

Maybe a screenie of stats (Apps, Goals, Assists, MOM and AVg Rating)

[kipfizh]

Ok, will get some stats up now. No screenshots yet as that'll take forever, so some tables of numbers coming right up....

[kipfizh]

Mid season statistics - Bandits

Most appearances – 20+
Goalkeeper 1 – 27
Striker 1 – 25 + 1
Hay (RM) – 24
Striker 3 – 24
Left Back 1 – 24
Defensive Mid 1 – 23 + 1
Attacking Mid 1 – 22 + 1
Left Mid 1 – 22 + 1
Right Back 1 – 22 + 1

Hay is keeping Right Mid 1 out of the team on the right wing, and has been an outstanding performer. Otherwise, the premier tier starlets are the dominant players.

Goals – 5+
Striker 3 – 42 (28 games)
Striker 1 – 38 (25 + 1 games)
Left Mid 1 – 18 (22 + 1 games)
Hay (RM) – 15 (24 games)
Attacking Mid 1 – 9 (22 + 1 games)
Striker 4 – 8 (5 + 4 games)
Anderson (CB) – 5 (18 + 1 games)

Stunning goalscoring records for the starlet strikers, but Hay on the right wing has an exceptional record too, and Anderson is useful from set pieces.

Assists – 10+
Striker 1 – 22 (25 + 1 games)
Hay (RM) – 21 (24 games)
Striker 3 – 21 (24 games)
Left Mid 1 – 19 (22 + 1 games)
Defensive Mid 1 – 11 (23 + 1 games)

Striker 1 has 38 goals and 22 assists. Not too shabby.

Top Ratings, Min 10 games, 8.00 Rating
Striker 3 – 9.10 (24 games)
Striker 1 – 8.80 (25 + 1 games)
Left Mid 1 – 8.73 (22 + 1 games)
Hay (RM) – 8.70 (24 games)
Right Back 1 – 8.34 (22 + 1 games)
Left Back 1 – 8.22 (24 games)
Defensive Mid 1 – 8.18 (23 + 1 games)
Anderson (CB) – 8.13 (18 + 1 games)

No wonder Hay is keeping Right Mid 1 out of the team….

[kipfizh]

Mid season statistics - Sheriffs

Most appearances – 20+
Driven Idiot Str – 30
Zabek (CB) – 29
Lazy Idiot Def – 28
Lazy Idiot GK – 28
Driven Idiot Mid – 28
Lazy Idiot Mid – 27
Driven Idiot Def – 26 + 1
Lazy Idiot Str – 26
Hamilton (AMC) – 22 + 8
Holloway (AMC) – 21 + 4

Seven of the eight idiots appear, with Driven Idiot GK making only three appearances. Good to see 16 year old prospect Holloway getting games, although they are sticking him on the left wing.

Goals – 5+
Lazy Idiot Str – 30 (26 games)
Driven Idiot Str – 29 (30 games)
Lazy Idiot Mid – 17 (27 games)
Hamilton (AMC) – 11 (22 + 8 games)
Zabek (CB) – 11 (29 games)
Driven Idiot Mid – 9 (28 games)
Holloway (AMC) – 7 (21 + 4)
Lazy Idiot Def – 5 (28 games)

Although the idiots have good records, the standout figure there is centre half Zabek, who has powered home 11 goals already.

Assists – 10+
Driven Idiot Str – 18 (30 games)
Mogg (CM) – 17 (12 + 2 games)
Driven Idiot Mid – 15 (28 games)
Lazy Idiot Str – 14 (26 games)
Lazy Idiot Mid – 12 (27 games)
Lazy Idiot Def – 11 (28 games)
Hamilton (AMC) – 10 (22 + 8 games)

17 year old Matt Mogg stands out here, with 17 assists at more than one per game.

Top Ratings, Min 10 games, 8.00 Rating
Lazy Idiot Str – 8.41 (26 games)
Driven Idiot Str – 8.31 (30 games)
Lazy Idiot Mid – 8.25 (27 games)
Zabek (CB) – 8.22 (29 games)
Lazy Idiot Def – 8.16 (28 games)
Driven Idiot Mid – 8.02 (28 games)
Driven Idiot Def – 8.00 (26 + 1 games)

[leonavich]

Absolutely loving the start to this! Both teams are in dominant form, but I have to say that Bandits look stronger, putting in a solid performance against Charlton and winning every League game so far. I shooting for the Bandits to win 2 of the 3 matches they face with the sheriffs!

Love the stats too, the Bandits are well above the pack, but Hay has been an absolute beast. Will you be doing a tracking of ex-bandit players who pave a decent career, as I would like to track Hay's... He seems like he could have an interesting history to unfold.

[G_D_K]

Very nice start for both teams. Still picking the Bandits to go on top this season --- especially with not having the major cups to contend for any longer. Expect disciplinary problems for the Sheriffs to cause issues...if they're still with the team after the window.

And wow...80 goals between ST1 and 3 already --- good stuff from them...expect they'll be snatched up soon, along with 3-4 others from both teams!

[cswalk08]

Very interesting senario. I'm excited to see how it turns out at the end of the year

[5ergio]

Gotta love how the generated regens are having extraordinary time & stats in the first team. Lovely to see that the academies are working already! 2 wins vs the Sheriffs, 1 in the league and 1 in Dorset Cup will see us triumph over them for sure. Mon the Bandits!

[kipfizh]

Season report – 2011/12 – January

The window opens

With the transfer window open again, a lot of the focus was on who would still be around by the time the Bandits and the Sheriffs met on the 11th. Both clubs opened January with victories before the Bandits won their game in hand to maintain their perfect record and return to the top of the table.

Meanwhile, the Sheriffs were gearing up for their massive cup tie against Burnley, mid table in the Championship, some six divisions above them. In the early stages, Burnley looked a class apart, taking the lead after 14 minutes and holding out comfortably until half time. But after the break, the Sheriffs asserted themselves, and when Scott Hamilton equalised just before the hour it was no less than they deserved.

Both teams pushed for a victory, but none was forthcoming, so a replay was scheduled at Turf Moor. An impressive result indeed.

Meanwhile, both clubs were losing players. Tommy Hay, the surprise package on the right wing of the Bandits, joined Leicester for £210k, while Driven Idiot Mid decided not to stick around for the FA Cup replay, moving to Sunderland for £475k.

The first meeting

Both were concerned about their thinning squads when they finally came together for a meeting at the River Styx, home of the Sheriffs, for a fixture played three months after it was originally scheduled. The Sheriffs were hoping to claim the win that would return them to the top, but the Bandits blitzed them in a remarkable opening 16 minutes, going 3-0 up and leaving their opponents shellshocked. Lazy Idiot Str pulled one back before the half hour, but despite the match being even overall, the Sheriffs never recovered and the Bandits stretched their lead to five points.

Two days later, the Sheriffs lost another player, Driven Idiot Def joining his former teammate at Sunderland for £400k. The Bandits, meanwhile, took advantage of the Sheriffs’ cup exploits to go eight points clear with an 8-0 league win, before a 7-0 Red Insure Cup triumph took them into the quarter finals.

And the Bandits would continue to fire on all cylinders for the remainder of the month, with four more comfortable league victories taking their tally to 26 out of 26 when the transfer window slammed shut. They may have lost Hay, but they kept all their starlets and look good to push on to the league title.

Meanwhile, the Sheriffs had cup games to catch up on. A 3-0 win in the Red Insure Cup put them into the quarter finals, and they had room for one more league win before their clash with Burnley in the FA Cup replay.

This time, it was the Sheriffs that took the lead, stunning the home fans into silence with Lazy Idiot Str’s goal. Before half time their chances took a massive turn for the better when Burnley were reduced to ten men, and after the break Hamilton’s goal appeared to seal it. But the Championship side quickly got one back, and it quickly became a backs to the wall job as Burnley pressed on. Ultimately, though, the Sheriffs held on for a famous victory.

They were so far behind in their schedule that the fourth round tie was held just three days later, and in a cruel twist of irony they were drawn away to Sunderland, new home of the two idiots that had recently left. Both were cup tied, but it mattered little – Sunderland raced into a 3-0 lead by half time before easing off and settling for that scoreline. It had been a terrific cup run but it was now over.

All that remained in January was to pick up one more league victory, leaving the Sheriffs with the impressive record of only five points dropped all season – one draw and that loss to the Bandits. But with three games in hand on the Bandits, they were still a massive 14 points behind a team not looking like dropping any, and the playoffs look likely.

No more news on the transfer front, so two idiots leave, Hay leaves the Bandits, but the rest remain.

[Jpr]

I hope you keep track of Hay as well as the idiots. Was hoping the Sheriffs would win the FA cup, but maybe that was a bit too ambitious

[magicmastermind124]

Awesome update!

[DB1]

3-1, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on the Bandits

Viva la Bandito's!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DB1]

Interesting that non of the starlets have left, if I remember the Bandits lost nearly all in 1st window on original. With them staying should hopefully see a quicker rise.
Shame to see Hay go, will be interested to see how he fairs.

Wonder how long the idiots last at Sunderland.

[yugo23]

Fantastic update. It's great that they kept majority of their players. Maybe it's even possible that some players will remain faithful to the Bandits (or less likely the Sherrifs) during their entire career?

[Kenco]

Quite impressed that only 2 idiots left and no starlets. Hay won't be a big loss for The Bandits as Right Mid 1 will now have the chance to flourish.

Judging by the results so far, both sides are probably the equivalent of low Championship / high League 1 teams already.

[7Bestie7]

I think one more idiot leaves in the summer but the Bandits are the ones who are going to really get hurt over the next two transfer windows and anything up to half of the starlets will be off within 12 months.

[G_D_K]

I suspect it was the lower starting CA that kept the starlets on the team through January. Don't expect it to last past summer though (but still a surprise).
Great result for the Sheriffs on the cup run! Don't think they've got it in them to catch the Bandits though...playoffs for them. No surprise on the Idiots leaving...though a bit of a surprise they ended up on the same team!

[kipfizh]

I suspect it was the lower starting CA that kept the starlets on the team through January. Don't expect it to last past summer though (but still a surprise).
Great result for the Sheriffs on the cup run! Don't think they've got it in them to catch the Bandits though...playoffs for them. No surprise on the Idiots leaving...though a bit of a surprise they ended up on the same team!

Absolutely - you have to remember that the starlet CAs are 75 and 100 this time around, whereas they were 150 in FM09, which is extraordinarily high for a 17 year old.

[Lord Sidious]

How goes things on the international front? Could we get a little teaser on that?

[BenArsenal]

Whoa.

Haven't been on CSE much lately, but man, it's nice to have this back!

[daemonic]

With less and less time to actually play the game myself (I haven't even bought FM12), this more than makes up for it. Great to see it back and loving the updates so far. Best experiment ever!

[Drumburger69]

Did either club make any signings during the January window kip?

[jackyb1989]

Glad to see this back! Having followed both of the previous experiments, I know just how good kip's experiments are!

I'm going to stick my neck out and predict that at least one of the starlets/idiots will end up at a Premiership club by the end of season 1.

Also I'm going to say that the Sheriffs or Bandits will reach round 2 of the FA Cup this year.

Woot - got both my predictions right already!

[Thebaker]

I suspect it was the lower starting CA that kept the starlets on the team through January. Don't expect it to last past summer though

I agree with this, i just don't see many remaining as there CA will have improved a lot by then. Still there is always a fresh crop of regens by then

[leonavich]

What a solid first clash! Up you Bandits!

Sad to see Hay go, I was just getting attached to him. Wishing him much luck and hoping he rejoins the bandits further on down his career!

[Mravac Kid]

So good to see the Bandits back in action...
I'm too late for predictions, so I'll throw in some conclusions instead.

I'm rather amazed that only two of the Idiots left, they are so far above the league (or even their club's) standard I thought they'd all be gone as soon as the transfer window opened. Especially as this time around they actually seem to be playing very well, discipline problems notwithstanding.

I also thought that, despite the lower starting levels, the Starlets would also be going away, as even though they are much lower in ability than the previous experiments, they are still a good three if not four levels above their current league. And bear in mind they're still kids...
I wonder, did any higher league teams inquire about any of them?

[G_D_K]

Have you checked to see if any of the starlets have agents? And if so, how likely are the agents to be active in selling them?

[DB1]

Looking forward to next update. Checking every day. Note to self....... Stop hitting refresh. F5 will wear out

[Lord Sidious]

same here.

[Mravac Kid]

Didn't the players always have agents? Did they suddenly get a more active role? I haven't noticed that...

[5ergio]

They did I believe? But this is the first incarnation of the Bandits where we can see the portfolio of the agents and their personalities to some extent. So it'll be another part where we can see whether an agent could make a difference or not in a world beater's career.

[kipfizh]

Did either club make any signings during the January window kip?

No, they didn't - happy with what they had.

[kipfizh]

I also thought that, despite the lower starting levels, the Starlets would also be going away, as even though they are much lower in ability than the previous experiments, they are still a good three if not four levels above their current league. And bear in mind they're still kids...
I wonder, did any higher league teams inquire about any of them?

It was silent - I hope this is a sign that the AI scouting is not as all conquering as it has been in the past. We noticed in FM09 that even with the reputation of the starlets set to minimum and them having never played a professional game, everyone knew about them. Perhaps this is different.

[kipfizh]

Have you checked to see if any of the starlets have agents? And if so, how likely are the agents to be active in selling them?

I'll be including an agent section in the final report...

[kipfizh]

Looking forward to next update. Checking every day. Note to self....... Stop hitting refresh. F5 will wear out

Ha. This is the update that takes a while, because the second half of the season report is accompanied by all manner of sections. The season report is finished, I'm just completing those extra sections.

[Jpr]

Ha. This is the update that takes a while, because the second half of the season report is accompanied by all manner of sections. The season report is finished, I'm just completing those extra sections.

I jumped in here when I saw you had posted haha. Good to know one is due soon

[G_D_K]

Didn't the players always have agents? Did they suddenly get a more active role? I haven't noticed that...

Agents came into play in 11 I think -- at least, active agents. You can see an agents stats and players they represent by clicking on them...they have 3 stats as I recall.

[GreyedOutMan]

Get in - just discovered that the new thread is up and read through the whole lot. Great to have you back Kip - we've missed you muchly!

[spotg]

Bandits are back

[DB1]

Ha. This is the update that takes a while, because the second half of the season report is accompanied by all manner of sections. The season report is finished, I'm just completing those extra sections.

We'll all be here waiting with baited breath.Its a testament to the experiment and write ups that so many people follow the thread.I predict the Bandits walked the league and the Sheriffs bottled the playoffs

[kipfizh]

We'll all be here waiting with baited breath.Its a testament to the experiment and write ups that so many people follow the thread.I predict the Bandits walked the league and the Sheriffs bottled the playoffs

Well, that would be in keeping with tradition, wouldn't it?

Thanks for reading everyone, an update will be here soon

[Fatman]

kip saying "soon" means the rate at which i refresh has increased substantially...

[7Bestie7]

Soon as in now? Soon as in a few hours? Soon as in a few days? Soon as in a few weeks? Soon as in a few months?

How soon is soon?!?!?!!?

[daemonic]

Soon is as soon as it's ready

You can always setup a email notification if the thread gets updated...save the F5 key some wear and tear.

[7Bestie7]

Already done that!

[PRDH]

Honestly, I wander off for a bit and everyone turns into Morrissey! How Soon is Now?

[DB1]

Honestly, I wander off for a bit and everyone turns into Morrissey! How Soon is Now?

Quote of the day

[SnakeXe]

Wow, I wander into CSE for the first time in ages and this is back! Great updates so far, I'm hooked already

[Unknown Hacker]

My prediction is that both teams went up. Sheriffs through the playoffs. The next league meeting between the two sides was a 2-2 draw.

[kipfizh]

Season report – 2011/12 – February-May

February

The Bandits continued their relentless league form throughout February, with four victories out of four, scoring 23 goals in the process, leading up to the big return clash with the Sheriffs. Considering that the Sheriffs need to beat them and hope they drop more points somewhere else to lift the title, it looked more and more as if the title was heading to the home of the starlets.

The Bandits also reached the semi final of the Red Insure Cup with another massive win – 8-0 over Rugby. Remarkably, they even guaranteed themselves a playoff berth as early as February 11.

Meanwhile, the Sheriffs virtually killed their own chances of winning the league with a poor defensive performance against North Leigh, who earned a 2-2 draw despite being outshot 18-2. The Sheriffs won their other five February league games by an aggregate of 24-0, but the damage was done. However, they also reached the Red Insure semi-finals with a 2-0 win at Tiverton. The Bandits and Sheriffs were kept apart in the semi-final draw.

Return Clash

With the Bandits proudly displayed a record of 29 wins from 29 games, the Sheriffs went into the return game seven points behind, two draws dropping them almost out of contention in addition to their January defeat by the Bandits.

To hold any hopes of a comeback, they simply had to win at the home of the Bandits, and they started like they meant it. But on 16 minutes, the Bandits scored on the counter attack, Mike Anderson putting the league leaders ahead. The Sheriffs weren’t giving up though, and Driven Idiot Str equalised six minutes later.

The second half was an even affair, with both sides pushing for the victory, and when the winner came, it was a Sheriffs player that scored it. Sadly for the otherwise impressive Scott Hamilton, it was an own goal, and the Bandits came away with a 2-1 victory, and a ten point lead at the top of the table with just ten games to go. Surely the race was over.

March

The Sheriffs were furious, and determined that the Bandits would not sweep the competitions in their first full season. The league battle might be over, but there were still two cups to play for, with the Sheriffs hoping they could add those to their FA Cup bragging rights.

It certainly seemed as if they had given up on the league, a 1-0 defeat to Tiverton meaning that the Bandits were not the only side to beat them, before a 4-1 win enabled them to regain some form. The Bandits had no such problems, coming into the semi-final of the Dorset Cup off the back of another convincing 4-1 win.

And so to their third meeting of the season, a clash at the ground of the Bandits for the right to play in the Dorset Cup Final. Once again, the Bandits were quick out of the blocks, Striker 3 scoring after just two minutes, but the Sheriffs equalised three minutes later through Lazy Idiot Mid.

From there, however, it was the Bandits show. Defensive Mid 1 put them back in front, before Striker 3 added his second and Striker 1 made it 4-1. In the end, the Bandits outshot their rivals 31-3, and the scoreline could have been embarrassing. It didn’t help that Lazy Idiot Str was away on international duty, but it wouldn’t have mattered.

The Bandits then completed March in style, with four more league wins – 8-0, 2-0, 4-0 and 10-0, and a 5-0 cruise past Brackley in the Red Insure Cup semi-final. What a season they were having.

The Sheriffs also found form, bouncing back from their hammering in the Dorset Cup semi-final with five league wins on the spin, scoring 26 unanswered goals in the process, and setting up a Red Insure Cup final clash with their great rivals after a 3-0 win over North Leigh.

The Sheriffs had booked their playoff spot on March 3, and with a thirteen point deficit to the Bandits with five games to go, it was clearly over. But with the first ever cup final between the sides to come (over two legs), there was still room for a big finish.

April

It was to no-one’s surprise that the Bandits opened April by securing the Regional South and West title, with another pair of comfortable victories. Despite the Sheriffs also winning their opening pair of games, it had been clear from an early point in the season that the Bandits were just not going to drop any points, and anytime the Sheriffs faltered it would be a critical blow to their hopes.

With the league wrapped up and a simple looking Dorset Cup final on the horizon, the remaining big job was to beat the Sheriffs in the Red Insure Cup final. The first leg was at the River Styx, and the Sheriffs put up a much better display than in their dismal Dorset Cup semi-final performance. Despite that, and despite outshooting the Bandits 14-12, they were once again on the losing side, the Bandits running out 2-0 winners thanks to goals inside the opening twenty minutes from Defensive Mid 2 and Right Back 1.

The second leg came a week later, and was a case of ‘same old, same old’. Again the Bandits raced into a 2-0 lead inside twenty minutes, this time the goals coming from Striker 3 and Left Mid 1, and the Sheriffs knew they were beaten and folded. The Bandits scored no more goals, but dominated the game and cruised to a 4-0 aggregate triumph, and their fifth win over their great rivals of the season.

After that, it was plain sailing for the Bandits. They completed their perfect league season with a pair of 5-0 victories, to leave them with the stunning record of 40 wins from 40, with 220 goals scored. They also predictably lifted the Dorset Cup, with a thumping 9-0 victory over Portland Utd. One league, one promotion, two cups. Not a bad season, all round.

The Sheriffs also completed their league season in style, with a 10-1 win on the final day of the season, but despite their tally of 107 points and 39 point lead over third place, they had to face the playoffs, and a pair of cup knockouts (the semi-final of this league is a one leg shootout).

Playoffs

The semi-final for the Sheriffs was an absolute cruise – three goals to the good early on, they added a fourth in the second half to ease into the final and a tie against Halesowen, who reached the final on penalties. The Sheriffs would go into the game as heavy favourites, but Halesowen were one of the teams they drew with earlier in the season so nothing could be taken for granted.

The early stages were tense, with both sides picking up bookings in a testy atmosphere, but then the Sheriffs struck, Lazy Idiot Str and Lazy Idiot Mid putting them two goals up with strikes in the 29th and 32nd minute. At half time it looked a cruise, and Halesowen weren’t getting a look in. In the early stages of the second half, the Sheriffs continued to apply the pressure, but couldn’t find the third goal to kill the game off. And then Halesowen struck, Broadhurst redefining ‘against the run of play’. With 26 minutes still to play, the game was back on.

But the Sheriffs regrouped and pressed on. Oakes restored their two goal lead, and Lazy Idiot Str added a late fourth that in reality was no less than they deserved. Despite five losses to the Bandits, the Sheriffs can also claim to have had a successful season – decent cup runs including a terrific FA Cup run to the fourth round, and promotion. Job done.

Bandit Honours:
Southern League Division One South and West (2012)
Red Insure Cup (2012)
Dorset Cup (2012)

Sheriff Honours:
None

[kipfizh]

Bandits report - Season summary

2011-12
Southern League Division One South and West: (Pos 1), P 40, W 40, D 0, L 0, F 220, A 12, GD +208, Pts 120
(Media Prediction: 1st)
League
FA Cup: First Round
Red Insure Cup: Winners
Dorset Cup: Winners

[kipfizh]

Sheriffs report - Season summary

2011-12
Southern League Division One South and West: (Pos 2), P 40, W 35, D 2, L 3, F 176, A 17, GD +159, Pts 107
(Media Prediction: 2nd)
League
FA Cup: Fourth Round
Red Insure Cup: Final
Dorset Cup: Semi-Final

[kipfizh]

Head to Head

2011-12
Sheriffs 1-3 Bandits – Southern League Division One South and West
Bandits 2-1 Sheriffs – Southern League Division One South and West
Bandits 4-1 Sheriffs – Dorset Cup Semi Final
Sheriffs 0-2 Bandits – Red Insure Cup Final 1st Leg
Bandits 2-0 Sheriffs – Red Insure Cup Final 2nd Leg

Overall
Bandits lead the Head to Head 5-0 (13-3 on goals)

[kipfizh]

Bandits report - Best and Worst

General
Stats

New records:
Pretty much everything

This season:

Best player – Striker 3, 8.84
Top scorer – Striker 3/Striker 1, 70
Worst player – Goalkeeper 1, 7.09

Remarkably, both Striker 1 and Striker 3 finish with the same massive goal tally, and mustered 69 assists between them as well in a remarkable season. Goalkeeper 1 is somewhat harshly judged the worst player, simply because he spent the majority of most games watching from the wrong end.

[kipfizh]

Sheriffs report - Best and Worst

General
Stats

New records:
Pretty much everything

This season:

Best player – Lazy Idiot Str, 8.23
Top scorer – Lazy Idiot Str, 52
Worst player – Lazy Idiot GK, 6.91

As with the Bandits, the keepers were largely untested throughout the season, but Lazy Idiot Str certainly has put himself in the shop window.

[kipfizh]

Finance and Staff

Finance

Barcelona and Real Madrid lead the way with the Sheriffs an impressive fourth with an estimated value of £227m. Weirdly, the Bandits are valued at just £18.25m, and are nowhere to be seen.
Rich Clubs

Bandits Balance – £17.5m, with a transfer budget of £9.6m.
Sheriffs Balance - £19.9m, with a transfer budget of £12.1m.

Former Manager Watch

No former managers.

[kipfizh]

Player reports - Starlets

Goalkeeper 1 (Paraguay)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 121: Apps 51, Conc 14, Cln 38, MoM 0, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.09

Notes: A youth international for Paraguay, he wasn’t tested a great deal this season in the Bandits goal, but big things are expected as they rise up the divisions. CA rises an impressive 21.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Goalkeeper 2 (Brunei)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 99: Apps 6, Conc 1, Cln 5, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.47

Notes: Plays second fiddle to Goalkeeper 1 all season, and as a result doesn’t play a great deal. Plays three times for Brunei.

Honours
None

Left Back 1 (Scotland)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 119: Apps 45 (2), Gls 1, Asts 14, MoM 1, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 8.09

Notes: Has a stunning season and sees his CA shoot up to 119 with a regular berth. Yet to feature on the international stage.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Left Back 2 (Romania)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 96: Apps 12 (2), Gls 1, Asts 3, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 8.33

Notes: Another player severely hampered in his development by a lack of playing time, he performs to a high level whenever called upon, but sits of the bench the majority of the time. Yet to make waves on the international front.

Honours
None

Right Back 1 (Ecuador)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 121: Apps 43 (1), Gls 2, Asts 14, MoM 1, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 8.20

Notes: What a season – after playing a pivotal role in the Bandit success, he plays his first six games for Ecuador and is already proving to be a crowd favourite. Improving his CA well.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Right Back 2 (Trinidad & Tobago)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 98: Apps 13 (7), Gls 1, Asts 6, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 8.13

Notes: Plays a decent amount of games for a reserve, and appears five time for his Caribbean country. However, his needs more game time.

Honours
None

Centre Back 1 (Switzerland)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 123: Apps 41 (3), Gls 10, Asts 6, MoM 3, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 8.09

Notes: A wonderful season, including reaching double figures for goals – an impressive achievement for a centre back. Has appeared four times for the Swiss Under 21 side.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Centre Back 2 (Anguilla)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 105: Apps 3, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.60

Notes: Barely features for the Bandits, but does play four times for Anguilla, scoring a single goal.

Honours
None

Centre Back 3 (Martinique)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 126: Apps 35 (15), Gls 8, Asts 5, MoM 1, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.79

Notes: Played a decent amount for the Bandits but still spent more time coming off the bench than he would like. Another full international, he has played four times for Martinique.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Centre Back 4 (Tahiti)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 105: Apps 0 (1), Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg -

Notes: A frustrating domestic season, not able to make a single start, but he does succeed on the international stage, playing his first game for Tahiti and being named vice captain. Needs more games next season.

Honours
None

Left Mid 1 (Iceland)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 121: Apps 37 (9), Gls 25, Asts 34, MoM 2, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 8.21

Notes: Absolutely stunning. 25 goals and 34 assists is an extraordinary record for a winger, and he has also been noticed enough to make his debut for Iceland. Big things are afoot.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Left Mid 2 (East Timor)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 101: Apps 40, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg -

Notes: Not a moment on the field for the Bandits this season, but two appearances (and two goals) for the East Timor Under 21s shows great promise.

Honours
None

Right Mid 1 (Bulgaria)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 118: Apps 22 (12), Gls 18, Asts 13, MoM 3, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.92

Notes: Spent the first half of the season as a substitute behind Hay, but shone after his rival was sold in January. Has appeared five times at Under 21 level for Bulgaria.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Right Mid 2 (Zanzibar)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 96: Apps 11 (2), Gls 4, Asts 5, MoM 1, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.79

Notes: Not a great campaign due to heavy competition, but plays twice for Zanzibar.

Honours
None

Defensive Mid 1 (Barbados)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 118: Apps 45 (3), Gls 10, Asts 19, MoM 0, YC 6, RC 0, Avg 8.04

Notes: A stunning season for a man who is primarily a defensive midfielder, but who showed his creative side superbly this campaign, averaging over 8.00. Has five goals in five games for Barbados.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Defensive Mid 2 (Sint Maarten)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 103: Apps 18 (2), Gls 3, Asts 9, MoM 1, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.77

Notes: Heavily overshadowed by his illustrious teammate, he does play well when required, and has already appeared four times for his tiny country.

Honours
None

Attacking Mid 1 (Haiti)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 123: Apps 41 (4), Gls 15, Asts 13, MoM 3, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.82

Notes: Involved in everything good that the Bandits did this season, he is a superb creative force in the centre of the park, and was also recognised at international level, scoring three goals in his six games.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Attacking Mid 2 (Turkmenistan)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 97: Apps 2, Gls 0, Asts 1, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.60

Notes: He will be hoping for some transfer movement in the summer, as at present he is not getting a look in for the Bandits. He actually plays far more for Turkmenistan, gaining ten caps and scoring twice.

Honours
None

Striker 1 (Tahiti)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 123: Apps 43 (10), Gls 70, Asts 36, MoM 12, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 8.42

Notes: Seventy goals and thirty six assists. Just let that sink in for a moment. One hundred and six goals that he directed contributed to. Absolutely remarkable stuff. Not only that, but he made his debut for Tahiti, who despite his tender age saw enough in him to give him the captain’s armband.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Striker 2 (Paraguay)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 102: Apps 4 (9), Gls 5, Asts 2, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.34

Notes: Another who is having to bide his time because players who started out with a higher CA, but already a star in the Under 21 scene at international level, where he has scored seven times in five games.

Honours
None

Striker 3 (Estonia)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 123: Apps 45, Gls 70, Asts 33, MoM 18, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 8.84

Notes: Another insane record, with seventy goals and thirty three assists in a ridiculously impressive season, which sees him average a remarkable 8.84. Already has two caps for Estonia, with one goal.

Honours
Southern League Division One South and West (Bandits: 2012)
Red Insure Cup (Bandits: 2012)
Dorset Cup (Bandits: 2012)

Striker 4 (Comoros)
2011-12, Bandits, CA 101: Apps 22 (9), Gls 24, Asts 13, MoM 2, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 8.05

Notes: The first reserve on the teamsheet, he manages a very impressive 24 goals despite starting only 22 games – terrific stuff.

Honours
None

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Player reports - Idiots

Driven Idiot GK (Belize)
2011-12, Sheriffs, CA 125: Apps 11, Conc 7, Cln 5, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.05

Notes: Doesn’t get an awful lot of game time, but does play three times for Belize in a quiet first season.

Honours
None

Lazy Idiot GK (Mongolia)
2011-12, Sheriffs, CA150: Apps 52, Conc 28, Cln 36, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.91

Notes: With a great defence in front of him, isn’t tasked with doing too much, but doesn’t shine too brightly when he does. Still, he plays six times for his country.

Honours
None

Driven Idiot Def (Chinese Taipei)
2011-12, Sheriffs, CA 125: Apps 28 (1), Gls 1, Asts 6, MoM 1, YC 4, RC 1, Avg 7.92
Transfers to Sunderland for £400k
2011-12, Sunderland, CA 125: Apps 7, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 6.60

Notes: Was playing well for the Sheriffs when Sunderland came calling, but he hasn’t had the best of starts there. Already has five caps for Chinese Taipei.

Honours
None

Lazy Idiot Def (Nigeria)
2011-12, Sheriffs, CA 150: Apps 49, Gls 7, Asts 14, MoM 1, YC 10, RC 0, Avg 7.91

Notes: A great season for the Sheriffs, but he needs to curb his tendency to fly into tackles – ten bookings suggests a player who is a little too reckless. He has already featured seven times for Nigeria.

Honours
None

Driven Idiot Mid (Wales)
2011-12, Sheriffs, CA 125: Apps 30, Gls 9, Asts 16, MoM 0, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 7.98
Transfers to Sunderland for £475k
2011-12, Sunderland, CA 125: Apps 12 (2), Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 3, RC 1, Avg 6.73

Notes: After engineering a move away from the Sheriffs after falling out with the manager, he moved to Sunderland where his performance level dropped. After picking up a stupid red card, he lost the plot at Martin O’Neill and is now demanding another transfer. He has one cap for Wales.

Honours
None

Lazy Idiot Mid (Congo)
2011-12, Sheriffs, CA 150: Apps 54, Gls 33, Asts 17, MoM 4, YC 10, RC 1, Avg 8.01

Notes: A stunning record for a midfielder, he is a major reason behind the success of the Sheriffs this season. He needs to curb his ragged tackling, however. Has played twice for Congo, scoring once.

Honours
None

Driven Idiot Str (Togo)
[B]2011-12, Sheriffs, CA 125: Apps 51 (2), Gls 43, Asts 29, MoM 7, YC 11, RC 1, Avg 8.00/B]

Notes: A fabulous season for the Togolese striker, who fired in 43 goals in a season that will live long in his memory. However, like many of the other idiots, he needs to stop flying wildly into tackles. Has played twice for Togo without scoring.

Honours
None

Lazy Idiot Str (Qatar)
2011-12, Sheriffs, CA 150: Apps 48, Gls 52, Asts 32, MoM 19, YC 12, RC 1, Avg 8.23

Notes: It is remarkable that the Sheriffs lost all five clashes with the Bandits despite their team playing so well throughout the season. Scores a huge amount of goals, but once again crosses the disciplinary line. Has three goals in six games for Qatar.

Honours
None

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Competitions - England

Premiership

Man Utd retained their title, finishing three points ahead of their city rivals, with Spurs and Liverpool filling out the top four. Arsenal and Chelsea had to settle for Europa League spots, but the performance of the season came from Swansea, who finished seventh.

At the bottom, the other two promoted sides – Norwich and QPR – went straight back down, along with Sunderland, along with their two idiots.

Arsenal did get some joy out of their poor domestic season, lifting the FA Cup after a 2-1 victory over Fulham in the final. Birmingham got the furthest of all the teams from outside the Premiership, reaching the semi-finals after knocking Man City out in the quarter-finals. Elsewhere, the Sheriffs were the non-league stars, reaching the fourth round.

The League Cup was an all Manchester affair, with United again coming out on top with a 2-1 victory. Reading reached the semi-final and pushed City all the way before succumbing 4-3 on aggregate.

A stunning season for Man Utd was completed in the Champions League, with a 2-0 win over Chelsea in an all Premiership clash. All four English sides reached the quarter-finals, but any hopes of more than two progressing were denied when the draw pitted them all together. Surprisingly, both Barcelona and Real Madrid went out to Manchester clubs in the first knockout round.

The Europa League was won by Dortmund, who beat Dynamo Kiev 2-1 in the final. English interest was ended in the last sixteen when Stoke, Spurs and Fulham all crashed out.

[kipfizh]

Premiership Analysis - Reputation

(league position in bold)
1 (-). Man Utd (1) – 9362
2 (-). Chelsea (6) – 9145
3 (-). Man City (2) – 8600
4 (-). Arsenal (5) – 8350
5 (-). Liverpool (4) – 8200
6 (-). Tottenham (3) – 7950
7 (-). Newcastle (14) – 7100
8 (-). Everton (11) – 6950
9 (-). Aston Villa (10) – 6900
10 (-). Fulham 8() – 6690
11 (-). Stoke (12) – 6300
12 (-). Bolton (13) – 6250
12 (-). West Brom (9) – 6250
14 (-). Wigan (15) – 6236
15 (-). Blackburn (17) – 6200
15 (-). Wolves (16) – 6200
17 (-). Swansea (7) – 6150
18 (-). Sunderland (19) – 5398
19 (-). QPR (20) – 5270
20 (-). Norwich (18) – 5228

Promoted sides
Southampton – 6380
Crystal Palace – 6130
Reading – 6130

Elsewhere

Bandits – 1188 (+188)
Sheriffs – 1063 (+63)

Man Utd cement their position at the top, while Chelsea retain second despite a poor league campaign, largely thanks to a run to the Champions League final. Of the promoted sides, Southampton look best placed to stay up.

Overachievers : Swansea
Underachievers : Chelsea, Newcastle
Title Prediction : Man Utd to remain at the top
Relegation Prediction : Wolves to join Crystal Palace and Reading in relegation

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Competitions – Around the world

Your annual guide to the major competition winners from across the globe:

[number in brackets after a win indicates how many consecutive wins that club has now had]

World

World Club Cup – Barcelona

Europe

Champions League – Man Utd
UEFA Cup – Dortmund

England
Premiership – Man Utd (Relegated – Norwich, Sunderland, QPR, Promoted – Southampton, Crystal Palace, Reading)
FA Cup – Arsenal
League Cup – Man Utd

France
Ligue 1 – Lyon (Relegated – Evian, Saint Etienne, Ajaccio, Promoted – Monaco, Lens, Sedan)
Coupe de France – Nice
Coupe de la Ligue – Marseille (3)

Germany
Bundesliga – Bayern Munich (Relegated – Gladbach, Hertha, Promoted – Frankfurt, 1860 Munich)
DFB-Pokal – Hoffenheim

Italy
Serie A – Napoli (Relegated – Lecce, Cesena, Parma, Promoted – Sampdoria, Torino, TBD)
Italian Cup – Atalanta

Spain
La Liga – Barcelona (4) (Relegated – Granada, Racing, Rayo, Promoted – Celta, Gimnastic, TBD)
Copa del Rey – Sporting

International
World Cup – n/a
African Cup of Nations – Cameroon
Asian Cup – n/a
European Championships – n/a
Gold Cup – n/a
Oceania Nations Cup – n/a
Copa America – n/a
Confederations Cup – n/a
Olympics – n/a

Napoli are the surprise winner of Serie A, while Barcelona win the Spanish League by a remarkable 21 points.

[kipfizh]

Summary

What a season for the Bandits. Forty wins from forty in the league, and two non-league cup victories. The Sheriffs did just fine too, despite losing all five games to the Bandits – promoted through the playoffs, and a terrific run to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

No movement amongst the starlets, although their reputations will have been enhanced this season. Two idiots have already left to join Sunderland, but didn’t help – both played poorly and they got relegated from the Premiership, although they did get a massive wage hike. More may leave this summer.

The European Championships are next – Spain will go in as favourites, but it will not be long until the starlets and idiots gatecrash the party.

Starlets and Idiots

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World View – Club Reputation

The top twenty clubs in the world, based on their reputation:

1 (1). Barcelona – 9550 (-)
2 (3). Man Utd – 9362 (+212)
3 (2). Real Madrid – 9300 (-)
4 (4). Chelsea – 9145 (+95)
5 (5). Bayern Munich – 8900 (-)
6= (6=). AC Milan – 8850 (-)
6= (6=). Inter – 8850 (-)
8 (8). Juventus – 8650 (-)
9 (9). Man City – 8600 (-)
10 (10). Porto – 8500 (-)
11 (11). Arsenal – 8350 (-)
12= (12=). Liverpool – 8200 (-)
12= (12=). Roma – 8200 (-)
14= (14=). Lyon – 8150 (-)
14= (14=). Benfica – 8150 (-)
14= (14=). Corinthians – 8150 (-)
17 (17). Sao Paulo – 8100 (-)
18= (18=). Paris St Germain – 8000 (-)
18= (18=). Valencia – 8000 (-)
18= (18=). Atletico Madrid – 8000 (-)
18= (18=). Schalke – 8000 (-)
18= (18=). Marseille – 8000 (-)
18= (18=). Flamengo – 8000 (-)
18= (18=). Sporting – 8000 (-)

Dropping out:
None

It appears that the club reputations in countries outside of playable leagues don’t update until the season changeover. This snapshot is on the last day of May 2012, and is largely unchanged from the July data.

[kipfizh]

World View - Ones to watch

Your annual guide to the stars of tomorrow:

James Manton (Crewe/England, 16, ST, 89-200) is the first regen to appear with 200 PA, and starts with a decent CA at the age of 16. He started making waves in League Two this season, scoring four times in his seven appearances, and could be absolutely huge if his head is screwed on, which is appears to be.

Previous tips

None

[kipfizh]

World View - World beaters

Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina, 24, AM RLC/FC, 198-199). Gains three points of CA and moves inexorably towards his massive potential. 29 goals in another terrific season.
Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal, 27, AM RL/ST, 191-193). Gains a single point of CA too, but sees Messi disappear into the distance. Has a minimum fee release clause of £870m. Yes, really.
Ronaldo

Number of 190+ CA players : 2
Number of 180+ CA players : 9 (+3)
Number of 170+ CA players : 42 (+7)

Number of 190+ PA players :11 (+6) (excluding starlets and idiots)
Number of 180+ PA players : 76 (+15) (excluding starlets and idiots)
Number of 170+ PA players : 254 (+43) (excluding starlets and idiots)


Already it seems that the database changes throughout the experiment will mirror FM09, with a rapid increase of players will potential to be top stars. In FM09, the number doubled in a few years, suggesting that the original database and the regen system didn’t balance out.

[kipfizh]

World View - Distribution of 180+ CA players

The clubs

Team                Number of stars

Barcelona           2 (-) (198, 184)
Real Madrid         2 (-) (191, 183)
Man Utd             1 (-) (183)
Bayern Munich       1 (-) (182)
Lyon                1 (-) (182)
Man City            1 (-) (180)
Liverpool           1 (-) (180)
Total               9 (-)

Barcelona and Read Madrid have the only two 190+ players, and are the only two clubs with two world stars. No surprise there really.

The leagues

Country   Stars

Spain     4 (-)
England   3 (-)
Germany   1 (-)
France    1 (-)
Total     9 (-)

The Spanish and English leagues still hold the majority of the world stars, with Serie A noticeably absent from the list.

The nationalities

Country   Stars

Spain       3 (-)
Argentina   1 (-)
Portugal    1 (-)
England     1 (-)
Germany     1 (-)
France      1 (-)
Ivory Coast 1 (-)
Total       9 (-)

Not surprising to see defending World and European champions Spain topping the list ahead of the summer’s European Championships.

[kipfizh]

World View - Starlet and Idiot Nationality Rankings

11 (61). 1023 (+509) - Scotland (Left Back 1 – 0 caps)
24 (43). 848 (+212) - Nigeria (Lazy Idiot Def – 7 caps)
40 (26). 683 (-122) - Paraguay (Goalkeeper 1 – 0 caps, Striker 2 – 0 caps)
46 (87). 623 (+243) - Trinidad & Tobago (Right Back 2 – 5 caps)
47 (53). 613 (+41) - Romania (Left Back 2 – 0 caps)
51 (30). 587 (-192) - Switzerland (Centre Back 1 – 0 caps)
74 (89). 455 (+85) - Qatar (Lazy Idiot Str – 6 caps)
75 (48). 444 (-155) - Bulgaria (Right Mid 1 – 0 caps)
84 (113). 403 (+130) - Wales (Driven Idiot Mid – 1 cap)
93 (67). 352 (-127) - Ecuador (Right Back 1 – 6 caps)
97 (79). 333 (-67) - Estonia (Striker 3 – 2 caps)
107 (123). 295 (+55) - Togo (Driven Idiot Str – 2 caps)
109 (145). 292 (+135) - Barbados (Defensive Mid 1 – 5 caps)
114 (148). 281 (+135) - Belize (Driven Idiot GK – 3 caps)
136 (124). 206 (-33) - Congo (Lazy Idiot Mid – 2 caps)
138 (175). 203 (+122) - Comoros (Striker 4 – 0 caps)
146 (121). 181 (-63) - Iceland (Left Mid 1 – 1 cap)
150 (138). 173 (-4) - Turkmenistan (Attacking Mid 2 – 10 caps)
157 (163). 156 (+50) - Mongolia (Lazy Idiot GK – 6 caps)
171 (166). 119 (+23) - Chinese Taipei (Driven Idiot Def – 5 caps)
173 (117). 109 (-147) - Haiti (Attacking Mid 1 – 6 caps)
177 (198). 97 (+88) - Brunei (Goalkeeper 2 – 3 caps)
185 (182). 66 (+9) - Tahiti (Centre Back 4 – 1 cap, Striker 1 – 1 cap)
186 (200). 63 (+57) - Anguilla (Centre Back 2 – 4 caps)
198 (202). 38 (+35) - East Timor (Left Mid 2 – 0 caps)
N/A (-). 0 - Martinique (Centre Back 3 – 4 caps)
N/A (-). 0 - Zanzibar (Right Mid 2 – 2 caps)
N/A (-). 0 - Sint Maartan (Defensive Mid 2 – 4 caps)

Scotland make enormous strides from 61st to 11th in the world rankings, without any help from their starlet, largely because they successfully finished second in a European Championship qualifying group that including Spain, Denmark and Czech Rep, and then won the playoff against Turkey. Most impressively, they beat Spain 2-1 away from home to secure that spot.